Extendable closet rod



Aug. 7, 1956 D. SADWIN 2,757,804

EXTENDABLE CLOSET ROD Filed June 29, 195; 2 Shets-Sheet 1 mmvron W Ll?!DANIEL SADWIN Pi 5 E- Aug. 7, 1956 D. SADWIN 2,757,804

' EXTENDABLE CLOSET ROD Filed June 29, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 zzvwszvroaDANIEL 5ADWIN United States Patent EXTENDABLE CLOSET ROD Daniel Sadwin,Woonsocket, R. I.

Application June 29, 1953-, Serial No. 364,829

4 Claims. (Cl. 211-94) This invention relates tonew and usefulimprovements in clothes hanger assembles particularly adapted for use inclosets and the like.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a clotheshanger assembly which can readily be installed on the underside of acloset shelf or the like for slidably supporting a plurality of clotheshangers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes hanger assemblyfor supporting clothes or the like which will occupy but a small spacein a closet and by means of which clothes may be packed closelytogether.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clothes hangerassembly which is very compact, strong, durable and easy to operate.

It is further proposed, according to a modification of the invention, toprovide a clothes hanger assembly which is extensible to fit varioussizes of closets andthe like.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an extensibleclothes hanger assembly designed to ofier the maximum rigidityregardless of the degree to which the assembly may have been extended,thus always afiording a strong, solid, non-sagging and non-rattlingsupport for clothes hangers.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a clothes hangerassembly which is simple in construction and which can be manufacturedand sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a closet shelf with a clotheshanger assembly embodying one form of the invention installed thereonand showing a clothes hanger in position.

Fig. 2 is anenlarged perspective view of the improved support for theclothes hanger brackets shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane ofthe line 33 ofFig. 1.

Fig; 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the form. of hanger bracketshown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of support for theclothes hanger brackets.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the inner slidable section of thesupport of Fig; 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one end of the outerfixed section of the support of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the end closure for the fixed section ofthe support of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of another modified form of support for theclothes hanger brackets, the parts being shown in extended position.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the support of Fig. 9 showing the partsin non-extended position.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 11--11 ofFig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a support for the clothes hangerbrackets embodyilng still another modification of the invention.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a modified form of hanger bracket.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, inclusive, showing the first form of theinvention, the clothes hanger assembly herein shown comprises asupporting member, an elongated box-like body 9 of sheet metal or othersuitable material having a base or inner wall 10, side Walls 11 and anouter wall 12', the base or inner wall extending laterally of the sidewalls to provide flanges 13 therealong. The flanges are provided withspaced openingsv 14 for receiving fastening members such as screws 15for fastening the box-like body to a shelf 16 supported in a closet 17or the like". The box-like body is closed at both ends 18 and 19. Theouter wall 12 is formed with a central slot 20 extending the lengththereof forming trackways 21, 21 on both sides of the slot. Adjacent oneend of the box-like body, the outer wall 12 is formed with opposedcutouts 22, communicating with the slot 20 providing an enlarged openingat this point to permit the installation of a slid'able hanger bracket23.

A hanger bracket 23' is shown in detail in Fig. 4 and includes acylindrical body portion 24 from which extends a metal shank 25 having ahook 26 on its outer end. The cylindrical body portion 24 supports twoopposed pintles 27 which are disposed eccentrically of the axis of thecylindrical body portion and mounted on the pintles are two rollers 28.The overall distance between the outer ends of the pintles 27 is suchthat the cylindrical body 24 and rollers 28 may be inserted through theenlarged opening formed by the cutouts 22, 22 and slot 20 in order tomount the rollers 28 on the trackways 21, 21, with the cylindrical body24 protruding through the slot 20" and its' hooked shank. 25 extendingoutside of the outer wall 12 for releasably supporting an ordinary coathanger 29 or the like. The cylindrical body portion 24 and the rollers28 may be made of'plastic, metal or any other suitable material.

From the above it will be seen that a plurality of hanger brackets 23'may be slidably supported on the box-like body. The particular size orlength of the boxlike body of course is subject to variation and willcontrol the number of hanger brackets which may be supported thereby.

In the modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8,inclusive, the supporting member of the assembly is extensible andincludes an elongated tubular outer box-like section 30 and' anelongated tubular inner boxlike section 31' telescopically and slidablyarranged in the outer section. The outer section 30 comprises a base orinner wall 32, side walls 33 and an outer wall 34 having an elongatedslot 35 extending from end to end thereof, forming trackways 36 alongthe outer wall. Spaced openings 37 are formed in the inner wall 32 forreceiving fastening members for fasteningthe outer section 30 totheshelf 16 or the like.

The inner section 31 is similarly constructed with a base or inner wall38, side walls 39 and an outer wall 40- having an elongated slot 41extending from end to end-thereof anddisposed in alignment with the slot35 of the outer section, and thereby formingtrackways 42 along: theouter wall 40.

The outer wall 34 ofthe' outer section 30adjacent both ends. thereof isformed" with opposed cutouts 43" communicating withthe slot 35therein-to permit the-insertion of a hanger bracket 23 therethrough formovement along the trackways of the outer and inner sections, similarlyto the movement along the trackways 21, 21 of the form of Fig. l. Theinner wall 38 of the inner section 31 is provided with spaced elongatedopenings 44 adapted to be moved into register with the openings 37 inthe inner wall 32 of section 30 for fastening the assembly to itssupport.

The end of the outer section 30 adjacent the cutouts 43 is closed by aclosure member 47 of sheet metal including a rectangularly-shaped endand side walls 49 and bendable sections 50 forming an outer wall. Thisconstruction permits the side and outer walls of the closure member tofrictionally and yieldingly engage the walls of the outer section forholding the closure member in position. At the same time, the outer wall50 closes the outlets 43 to prevent accidental withdrawal of the hangerbracket 23 therethrough. The hanger bracket 23 may be readily mountedand demounted by lifting the bendable sections 50 of the bottom wall andpassing it through the cutout portions 22.

Turning now to the modified form of supporting member shown in Figs. 9to 11, inclusive, this form is also extensible and consists of an outerbox-like section 51 having a flat or inner wall 52, and outer wall 53and stepped side walls 54 forming inner and outer guideways 55 and 56,respectively, the innermost steps of the side walls being secured to theflat inner wall 52 by welding or the like. The inner wall 52 extendslaterally of the side walls forming flanges 57 secured to the flanges ofthe sidewalls. The outer wall 53 is formed with an elongated slot 59centrally thereof and extending from end to end thereof. Both ends 60and 61 may be closed by closure members such as the closure members 47shown in Fig. 8.

Another box-like section 62 is telescopically and slidably disposedwithin the outer section 51 and consists of a base or inner wall 63, anouter wall 64 and flanged side walls 65 secured at their flanged basesto the inner wall 63 by welding or the like and with the inner wallforming flanges 66, which slide in the inner guideway 55 of the outersection 51. The outer wall 64 is formed with an elongated central slot67 extending the length thereof, which slot registers with the slot 59of the outer section 51. The outer wall 64 is adapted to slide in theouter guideway 56 of the outer section.

The outer walls 53 and 64 of the outer and inner sections 51 and 60,respectively, are provided with cutout portions 53' and 64',respectively, communicating with their respective slots 59 and 67 topermit insertions of a hanger bracket 23 when the cutout portions are inalignment.

The stepped portions of the side walls 55 of the outer section 51 andthe flanges 66 of the inner section 62 are formed with openings 68 and69, respectively, adapted to align with openings 70 in the inner wall 52of the outer section for receiving fastening members to fasten theassembly to its support.

Figs. 12 and 13 illustrate a further modified form of extensiblesupporting member for the clothes hanger assembly consisting of an outertubular section 71 having a flat base or inner wall 72, a slightlycurved outer wall 73 and curved side walls 74. The inner wall 72 isformed with openings 75 for receiving fastening members for securing theouter section 71 to the shelf 16 of the closet 17 or like support. Theouter wall 73 is formed with an elongated central slot 76 extending fromend to end thereof, forming trackways 77 on both sides of the slot.

An inner tubular section 78 is telescopically and slidably disposedwithin the outer section 71. The inner section is constructed similarlyto the outer section 71 having a flat base or inner wall 79, a slightlycurved outer wall 80 and curved side walls 81, with an elongated centralslot 82 in the outer wall 80 extending from end to end thereof, inalignment with the slot 76 of the outer section.

The various forms of supporting members for the clothes hanger assemblyshown and described herein might be used with a hanger bracket withoutrollers. For example, in Fig. 13 a modified form of hanger bracket 86 isshown comprising a flat square body 87 of plastic or other suitablematerial having grooves 88 in opposed sides. A metal shank 89 extendsoutwardly of the center of the body 87 and is formed into a hook 90 atits outer end. When using this form of hanger bracket, the body 87 isslid along the trackways formed by the slotted outer walls of thesupporting members.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent,

1. In a clothes hanger assembly, an elongated extensible box-likesupporting member having an outer boxlike section with stepped sidewalls and with openings for receiving fastening members, said side wallsforming outer and inner guidcways, and an inner box-like sectiontelescopically and slidably mounted in said outer boxlike section andhaving a flat inner wall movable in the inner guideway with its outerwall movable in the outer guideway, the outer walls of said box-likesections having aligned elongated slots extending the lengths thereoffor slidably receiving a hanger bracket.

2. In a clothes hanger assembly, an elongated extensible box-likesupporting member having an outer boxlike section with stepped sidewalls and with openings for receiving fastening members, said side wallsforming outer and inner trackways, and an inner box-like sectiontelescopically and slidably mounted in said outer box-like section andhaving a flat inner wall movable in said inner trackway with its outerwall movable in the outer trackway, the outer walls of said box-likesections having aligned elongated slots extending the lengths thereofand having cutouts communicating with said slots whereby a hangerbracket may be inserted into the supporting member and slid along saidouter walls.

3. In a clothes hanger assembly, an elongated extensible box-likesupporting member having an outer box-like section with stepped sidewalls and with openings for receiving fastening members for fasteningthe section to a support, said side walls forming outer and innertrackways, an inner box-like section telescopically and slidably mountedin said outer boxlike section and having a flat inner wall movable inthe inner trackway with its outer wall movable in the outer trackway,the outer walls of said box-like sections having aligned elongated slotsextending the lengths thereof for slidably receiving a hanger bracket,and means for holding the inner box-like section in adjusted position.

4. In a clothes hanger assembly, an elongated extensible box-likesupporting member having an outer box-like sec tion with stepped sidewalls and with openings for receiving fastening members for fasteningthe section to a support, said side walls forming outer and innertrackways, an inner box-like section telescopically and slidably mountedin said outer box-like section and having a flat inner wall movable inthe inner trackway with its outer wall movable in the outer trackway,the outer walls of said box-like sections having aligned slots extendingfrom end to end thereof, and having cutouts communicating with saidslots whereby a hanger bracket may be inserted into said supportingmember and slid along said outer walls, said outer and side walls havingspaced openings therealong adapted to be moved into alignment forreceiving screws for fastening the assembly to a support.

- (References on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS Perry Jan. 8,1907 Edsall et a1 Feb. 3, 1920 5 Wilson May 4, 1920 Reubel July 14, 1925Day Nov. 22, 1927 Duthie Nov. 12, 1929 Rapp Sept. 22, 1931 10 6 ToelleFeb. 27, 1934 Viola June 15, 1937 Breuer Sept. 21, 1937 Weckstrom Jan.25, 1938 Svendsen Jan. 16, 1951 Rosenbaurn July 20, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTSSwitzerland Mar. 16, 1935

